The Candy man: a rich history
Len Werner whips out a 10-pound bar of chocolate and chops off a chunk. He places it in a warmer to melt so he can later pour it over the top of his freshly made peanut butter cups. When it is finished, the treat will be displayed alongside a parade of other sweet things in Werner’s Candy and Gift Shoppe.
“I’m called the candy man by most of the kids in this area,” Werner says. He and his wife of 35 years, Melva, have owned the Long Beach, Washington store for two years, and both work hard. They’re open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving, and spend more time at work than they do at home.
“Some days we put in 10 to 11 hours,” he said.
At 82, Werner has not let his age slow his hard work.
“I wouldn’t know him any other way,” Melva Werner said. “A lot of times we’ll come in at nine and go home at nine … I try to get us one day (off) a week.”
Len Werner called the publication 50-Plus a “kids’ magazine” and jokes that he’s “just grateful when I wake up every morning, period.” In fact, two of the Werners’ combined four children are over 50, and the Werners have six grandchildren. But no great-grandchildren, “thank goodness,” he said.
Len and Melva met because ironically, Melva’s son from a previous marriage, Bruce Werner, has the same last name as Len. As a result, Len used to get Bruce’s mail and would drop by to return it. One day, Len asked Melva out. Melva jokes that she’s found “Werner” to be a pretty common last name because she’s been married to two of them.
By the time he reached his first retirement, Len had worked in produce, wholesale, interior design, and had sold farming and printing machinery. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1941 to 1946 and still wears a Marine Corps cap sometimes while working in the store.
“You know, when you’re my age you’ve had a dozen different lives,” he said.
He was introduced to his craft when he was 16, working for a candy maker in Newark, New Jersey.
“It was not that I liked it. I was the only one who could carry 200-pound bags of sugar down to the basement,” he remembered.
But after retiring from his job selling printing machinery, candy making came back to him. He and Melva bought an RV and were passing through Seaside when they walked into a gift store to find a huge line of customers at the counter. The man behind it didn’t look happy. Len made the unhappy owner an offer for the store.
It took a few days to seal the deal, and the Werners went back to California to sell their home. They introduced salt water taffy to their gift shop and soon it became their first candy store.
For the next 15 to 20 years, the Werners managed the Seaside shop as well as stores in Cannon Beach and Lincoln City before retiring for the second time. But seven years ago, Len was diagnosed with neck cancer. He survived, and in January 2001 the Werners moved to Seaview, Wash., to be closer to their son, Bruce, and his family. There they opened a Long Beach store. They moved to Ocean Park last year, where Melva said they enjoy seeing deer and wild rabbits.
Len said they have built up a good local clientele and have been getting repeat visitors from out of town.
Gary Reyes of Port Angeles, Washington, commented on the sweet aroma of the store then he walked in.
“The first thing that hit was the smell,” said Reyes, who grew up in Long Beach but moved away. This was his first time in the Werner’s candy store.
“Beautiful.” He said, looking around the shop.
“You get very few complaints working in a candy store,” Len said.
Melva is a diabetic, so the Werners make sure to carry a large selection of sugar-free candy. “I try it, make sure it doesn’t make anybody sick,” Melva said. “It’s all good candy.”
Len makes a large portion of the store’s candy, including all the fudge. “He’s got his own formulas for that,” Melva said.
He enjoys many activities besides candy making. He’s a photographer, a decorator and ceramicist. When the Werners lived in Seaside, Len was the head of the animal haven in Gearhart.
Len is still having fun and said that other people his age who are in retirement don’t know what they’re missing out on.
“We’re enjoying our lives now,” he said. “They’re wasting their time. It’s more fun to work.”
As covered by 50Plus magazine insert in the Daily Astorian
SEPTEMBER 2003
Story by Tehra Peace
“I’m called the candy man by most of the kids in this area,” Werner says. He and his wife of 35 years, Melva, have owned the Long Beach, Washington store for two years, and both work hard. They’re open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving, and spend more time at work than they do at home.
“Some days we put in 10 to 11 hours,” he said.
At 82, Werner has not let his age slow his hard work.
“I wouldn’t know him any other way,” Melva Werner said. “A lot of times we’ll come in at nine and go home at nine … I try to get us one day (off) a week.”
Len Werner called the publication 50-Plus a “kids’ magazine” and jokes that he’s “just grateful when I wake up every morning, period.” In fact, two of the Werners’ combined four children are over 50, and the Werners have six grandchildren. But no great-grandchildren, “thank goodness,” he said.
Len and Melva met because ironically, Melva’s son from a previous marriage, Bruce Werner, has the same last name as Len. As a result, Len used to get Bruce’s mail and would drop by to return it. One day, Len asked Melva out. Melva jokes that she’s found “Werner” to be a pretty common last name because she’s been married to two of them.
By the time he reached his first retirement, Len had worked in produce, wholesale, interior design, and had sold farming and printing machinery. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1941 to 1946 and still wears a Marine Corps cap sometimes while working in the store.
“You know, when you’re my age you’ve had a dozen different lives,” he said.
He was introduced to his craft when he was 16, working for a candy maker in Newark, New Jersey.
“It was not that I liked it. I was the only one who could carry 200-pound bags of sugar down to the basement,” he remembered.
But after retiring from his job selling printing machinery, candy making came back to him. He and Melva bought an RV and were passing through Seaside when they walked into a gift store to find a huge line of customers at the counter. The man behind it didn’t look happy. Len made the unhappy owner an offer for the store.
It took a few days to seal the deal, and the Werners went back to California to sell their home. They introduced salt water taffy to their gift shop and soon it became their first candy store.
For the next 15 to 20 years, the Werners managed the Seaside shop as well as stores in Cannon Beach and Lincoln City before retiring for the second time. But seven years ago, Len was diagnosed with neck cancer. He survived, and in January 2001 the Werners moved to Seaview, Wash., to be closer to their son, Bruce, and his family. There they opened a Long Beach store. They moved to Ocean Park last year, where Melva said they enjoy seeing deer and wild rabbits.
Len said they have built up a good local clientele and have been getting repeat visitors from out of town.
Gary Reyes of Port Angeles, Washington, commented on the sweet aroma of the store then he walked in.
“The first thing that hit was the smell,” said Reyes, who grew up in Long Beach but moved away. This was his first time in the Werner’s candy store.
“Beautiful.” He said, looking around the shop.
“You get very few complaints working in a candy store,” Len said.
Melva is a diabetic, so the Werners make sure to carry a large selection of sugar-free candy. “I try it, make sure it doesn’t make anybody sick,” Melva said. “It’s all good candy.”
Len makes a large portion of the store’s candy, including all the fudge. “He’s got his own formulas for that,” Melva said.
He enjoys many activities besides candy making. He’s a photographer, a decorator and ceramicist. When the Werners lived in Seaside, Len was the head of the animal haven in Gearhart.
Len is still having fun and said that other people his age who are in retirement don’t know what they’re missing out on.
“We’re enjoying our lives now,” he said. “They’re wasting their time. It’s more fun to work.”
As covered by 50Plus magazine insert in the Daily Astorian
SEPTEMBER 2003
Story by Tehra Peace
